The 8 Best Botanical Garden Tours in Rio de Janeiro

1.4-Hour Botanical Garden & Tijuca Forest Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 275 reviews · 4 hours · from $51Our pick

Spend four hours exploring Rio’s Botanical Garden and Tijuca National Forest with a live English, Spanish, or Portuguese guide. See Brazilwood, orchids, giant water lilies, Taunay Waterfall, and views from Vista Chinesa. Hotel pickup is included from Rio’s South Zone, though weekend trips skip Vista Chinesa.

“At the Boatanical garden all area looks dry and some plants weren’ t good maintenance. At the forest there are only few spots,”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden & Tijuca Forest Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 168 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $55

Spend an afternoon among Brazil’s plants at Rio’s Botanical Garden, then ride into Tijuca National Park for forest views, Taunay Waterfall, and Capela Mayrink. Guides such as Newton, João, and Alexia have earned praise for clear history and plant explanations. Pickup covers major South Zone hotels.

“The tijuka forest and the botanical gardens were wonderful.this that made me very angry were the guide who told me that he can not pick me up from Hotel Nacional and go to hotel Sol Ipanema.so I took a taxi and I went there.he came and took me.but what a surprise,he took back the same road and passed outside my hotel!!!!also he stopped and said the history of my hotel!!!and when I asked him why you didn't take me from here,he started to say foolish things!!!I am very angry with him and the company C2rio.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 40 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $81

Visit Rio’s 140-hectare Botanical Garden with a guide, then explore at your own pace. See the Royal Palms, Frei Leandro pond, and an orchid house with over 500 varieties. Hotel pickup and return are included, with guides such as Lucia, Milene, and Erica noted for strong plant knowledge.

“Beautiful garden. Our tour guide (Lucia) was very knowledgeable and was able to provide so much more to our experience with her passion for the garden. Ask for her!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Botanical Garden, Tijuca Forest, and Parque Lage Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 19 reviews · 5 hours · from $104

Spend five hours with a private multilingual guide exploring Tijuca Forest, Taunay Waterfall, the Chinese Lookout, Rio’s Botanical Garden, and Parque Lage. You’ll see Atlantic Forest scenery, orchids, historic garden features, and a mansion framed by Christ the Redeemer.

“We had a great experience with our tour. Our tour guide was great! He was friendly and caring. We had a great time!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Botanical Garden & Tijuca Forest Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 11 reviews · 4 hours · from $85

Spend four hours exploring Rio’s nature by convertible jeep and on foot. Your bilingual guide leads you through Tijuca Forest, with stops at waterfalls, Chinese View, and Emperor’s Table, then visits the Botanical Garden. Small groups of up to 10 make the outing personal.

“agradável, mas muito rápida e com pouco tempo para observar a floresta e os animais selvagens. A visita ao jardim botânico não foi realizada pelo operador, o guia informou que as 4h era apenas para a floresta da Tijuca, contudo tinha comprado para visitar ambos os locais.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Private Tijuca Forest & Botanical Garden Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 9 reviews · 5 hours · from $80

Spend five hours with a private guide in Rio’s Tijuca Forest and Botanical Garden. You’ll visit the Chinese Viewpoint, Cascatinha Taunay waterfall, forest trails, an orchidarium, and a sensory garden. Guides including Edison, Ederson, and Antonio have led this outing in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

“Merci à Edison pour cette visite de la forêt de Tijuca et du jardin botanique. Nous avons passé un merveilleux moment à observer cette végétation luxuriante. En bonus, nous avons même aperçu un toucan !”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Jeep’n’Green: Rio Botanical Garden & Tijuca Rainforest Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 6 reviews · 4 hours · from $95

You’ll tour Rio’s Botanical Garden and Tijuca Rainforest by Jeep with a multilingual guide, stopping at Vista Chinesa, Emperor’s Table, Mayrink Chapel, and Cachoeira dos Macacos. Expect a short, easy forest walk, hotel pickup, and sweeping views over Rio.

“They cancelled the time slot I requested after taking my money but still took my money and did not return it. So I did not go at all . That's theft.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Green Rio: Guided Tour of Botanical Garden and Lage Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 5 hours · from $107Top rated

Spend five hours with an English, Portuguese, or Spanish-speaking guide at Rio’s Botanical Garden and Parque Lage. See royal palms, orchids, Japanese-style gardens, forest paths, grottos, and the courtyard pool beneath Corcovado. Hotel transfers and both entrance fees are included.

Check availability →Read our full review